4 months later
“Gregory, we can’t stay here,” Annabelle pleaded. Fires had sprung up on the outside of the normally quiet village. The screams of those she had begun to think of as friends sounded outside. It was the third village they had moved to that had been attacked. There was no question as to who was behind the violence.
“We can’t get out, not safely.” He partially opened the shutter to look at the burning village outside.
“We have to try. If we stay here, we will all die.” Annabelle pulled her daughter in tighter against her chest. “He’s here for her.” Annabelle’s eyes filled with tears. “He wants to take our Anastasia.”
“He’s not getting his hands on her, Annabelle. I swear it.”
The door burst in, and Annabelle shielded their daughter.
“Long time no see, Brother.”
Gregory stared at Vincent for a moment. He no longer recognized the man who stood before him. How was he so different from the man that had darkened his door only months before?
“You need to leave!” Gregory yelled, and stepped in front of Annabelle.
“I can’t do that. Not without that child.”
“You won’t ever get your hands on her!” Annabelle yelled, and the baby in her arms started crying.
“Why are you doing this?” Gregory asked, taking a step towards his wife.
“You chose a baby over your own brother. You chose to keep her from me and not allow me to be a part of her life. You chose this!” he yelled, and threw his hand out. Annabelle flew backwards and Anastasia was ripped from her arms.
“Anastasia!” Gregory yelled, lunging for her.
Vincent threw out another arm and Gregory shot back into Annabelle.
Anastasia gently floated over to where Vincent stood. He looked down on her with utter disgust. This was the thing that had forced his brother to abandon him.
“You will never see this child again. That prophecy you so foolishly sought out will be her death,” he said as he stepped out of the cottage.
“NO!” Annabelle screamed, and she and Gregory stumbled to their feet and into the wreckage of their old home.
Beasts were running around lighting fires and killing any who tried to stop them. Vincent was nowhere to be seen, but that didn’t stop them from running into the fray.
“We have to find her!” Annabelle screamed over the noise. Gregory turned just in time to see one of the beasts barreling towards her.
“Annabelle!” he yelled, and ran for her. Just before the beast collided with her, one of the Fighters threw his body weight into it and knocked it to the ground. He ran it through with his sword.
“Thank you, Tony,” Gregory said, and began frantically searching.
“He’s gone.”
“What do you mean, gone?” Annabelle asked.
“He stepped through a blue light and disappeared.”
“Anastasia?”
Tony shook his head softly. Through his own grief, Gregory noticed the pain in his friend’s eyes. “Zarina, Jax?” he asked, wondering where the man’s wife and son were.
Tony’s face contorted and he shook his head.
“Oh no.” Annabelle wrapped her arms around Tony.
Another beast attacked, and Gregory searched for the magic he had refused to admit he had. He conjured light and flung it at the beast. It crumpled to the ground and he felt the stream of power begin to hum in his veins.
“We need to go,” Tony urged, pulling them towards the edge of the village. Gregory looked back at the destruction, then over to his wife who was barely holding on, and to his friend who had lost everything in one night.
He promised himself two things: Vincent would pay for what he had done, and he would get his daughter back, regardless of the cost.
* * *
Gregory stood staring out at the sea of trees. His body tensed with each noise he heard, though so far they had been nothing but birds and other animals. A week had passed and he had heard nothing from his brother, but every single day he expected him. Vincent was not the type of person to simply disappear; he believed he could change Gregory’s mind. Had since they were children.
Gregory felt the weight of the dagger buried beneath his cloak. He was going to spill his brother’s blood one day. Death was a much simpler sentence than Vincent deserved, but it was the one he was going to receive. Annabelle had been trying to distract him, trying to help him focus on anything other than the fact that his own brother had stolen his daughter a week ago.
He had busied himself exploring his magic and trying to sense her, even if it was just to confirm she was alive. He knew his wife felt the emptiness without their only child, even if she tried so hard to convince him everything was going to be all right. She knew all too well the dangers of losing yourself to your magic, and had been trying desperately to prevent that from happening to him.
“How are you?” Annabelle asked as she came to stand beside him. They stood in front of their small cottage on the outskirts of a growing village.
“Fine,” he responded curtly.
Annabelle wrapped her arm through his and looked out as he was. “Fall is approaching. You can feel the chill in the air.”
Gregory nodded in agreement, but truthfully he hadn’t heard a word she’d said.
“Brother.” Vincent’s voice sounded behind them, and both Annabelle and Gregory spun to face him. He looked different than he had a week ago, somehow slightly less crazed. Gregory couldn’t have cared less about his appearance. He finally had his chance to kill him. To put an end to him and the madness he was spreading.
“Where is she?” Annabelle took a step towards Vincent but Gregory pulled her back.
“Shall we go inside and talk?” Vincent began walking towards the cottage. Vincent and Annabelle followed him, and Gregory reached inside his cloak to feel the handle of the dagger. Once inside, he pulled it out and slammed Vincent into the wall.
“Where is she?” he growled, pressing the knife to Vincent’s throat.
“Do you honestly believe that dagger will do anything against me?” he asked, and flung Gregory off. “That is your problem. You refuse to become even half of what you could be, little brother, and one day it’s going to kill you.”
“Please, Vincent, just tell us where our baby is.” Annabelle had her arms wrapped around herself.
“Oh, dear sister,” he smiled, “no.”
Annabelle started crying and Gregory stood.
“I will, however, assure you that she is alive, and safe for now. To find her, all you have to do is use that magic of yours. Simple, really.”
“I’ve been trying!”
“Had you used even an ounce of what was inside of you, she would already have been returned!” Vincent yelled back. “You are capable of so much more than you think, Gregory. If you would only allow me to help you, I can make you strong.”
“I don’t want your help. I don’t ever want to be like you!”
“Than you will never see her again!” Vincent headed for the door. “You know how to find me if you change your mind.” He slammed the door behind him and was gone.
Gregory’s body began to shake as his blood called to the magic within him. His mind knew he shouldn’t do it, that if he did, he may never return to himself. But he was already too far gone.
“Gregory!” Annabelle’s screams were faded and echoing from the back of his mind, but he paid them no attention.
It wasn’t until she wrapped her arms around him that he realized he had nearly pulled the house down on top of them.
“I have to save her,” he cried, and crumpled to the ground in Annabelle’s arms.
“We will, my love. But we have to do it right. What good will it be if we lose you too?” She had tears in her eyes when she lifted his face to hers.
Annabelle held her breath as Gregory came down from his magic. His eyes slowly faded to their normal shade of blue and she let out a sigh of relief when she saw him fully return to normal again.
“I have to save her,” he repeated somberly.
“We will, together,” Annabelle assured him, and said a silent prayer that she was right.